Fumes

[icic]

We hear how harmful diesel fumes are, I just wanted to check the fumes that the heater gives off, are these different from the fumes that come out of the existing and are they harmless

 

[Velma's Dad]

The heater can smell slightly for a few minutes on start up. This seems to be extremely common - often reported on this and other forums - so I've always concluded that there's unlikely to be any hazard, it's just a "feature".

If it's very strong, or persists long after start-up, I would get it checked out.

 

[WelshGas]

We hear how harmful diesel fumes are, I just wanted to check the fumes that the heater gives off, are these different from the fumes that come out of the existing and are they harmless

Yes different forms of combustion. In the Parking Heater it is basically burning whereas in the engine it is exploding.
From the heater you get, water, carbon dioxide, a very, very small amount of carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocarbons especially at start up, exhausted outside the vehicle.
The engine produces the nasty things which are then treated via the emissions system.

 

[mickmull]

The parking heater has a glow plug and combustion chamber for burning diesel that stays and exhausts completely 'outside' of the bus. The warm air inside the bus is fresh air from the outside that's blown over a heat exchanger - so the two gases never mix.

 

[Velma's Dad]

The parking heater has a glow plug and combustion chamber for burning diesel that stays and exhausts completely 'outside' of the bus. The warm air inside the bus is fresh air from the outside that's blown over a heat exchanger - so the two gases never mix.

Good description. I've always assumed that the initial smell is due to a small amount of unburnt fuel being emitted from the combustion exhaust and being picked up by the air intake from the heat exchanger.

 

[WelshGas]

The parking heater has a glow plug and combustion chamber for burning diesel that stays and exhausts completely 'outside' of the bus. The warm air inside the bus is fresh air from the outside that's blown over a heat exchanger - so the two gases never mix.

Not quit. The air passing over the heat exchanger is drawn in from the air vent in the front drivers footwell on a RHD vehicle or front passenger footwell on a LHD vehicle. But as you say, the combustion gases are kept separate from the recirculated hot air pumped into the cabin.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Not quit. The air passing over the heat exchanger is drawn in from the air vent in the front drivers footwell on a RHD vehicle or front passenger footwell on a LHD vehicle. But as you say, the combustion gases are kept separate from the recirculated hot air pumped into the cabin.

Okay then, just to understand the whole system, is it like this?...

1. Combustion system: outside air drawn directly into combustion chamber, burnt then exhaust gases ejected through the heater exhaust pipe under the van.

2. Heat exchanger: air drawn from inside of van, via vent in foot well, passes over heat exchanger then emitted back into body of van through B pillar vent?

(If so that should of course in theory make it smell-free, but whatevs.)

 

[WelshGas]

Okay then, just to understand the whole system, is it like this?...

1. Combustion system: outside air drawn directly into combustion chamber, burnt then exhaust gases ejected through the heater exhaust pipe under the van.

2. Heat exchanger: air drawn from inside of van, via vent in foot well, passes over heat exchanger then emitted back into body of van through B pillar vent?

(If so that should of course in theory make it smell-free, but whatevs.)

Correct. I have no smell on start up if all the windows are shut and roof down, but that is rare. Windows open or roof up then can occasionally smell the exhaust on start up on still days or dependant on wind direction but once upto temperature no problem.